# US 9,520,534 B2 · Light emitting diode, method of fabricating the same and LED module having the same > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 9,520,534 B2 - Document ID: US9520534B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 14/848,242 - Filed: 2015-09-08 - Published: 2016-03-10 - Granted: 2016-12-13 - Earliest claimed: 2013-07-29 - Assignees: Seoul Viosys Co., Ltd. - Applicants: Seoul Viosys Co., Ltd. - Inventors: Jong Hyeon Chae; Joon Sup Lee; Daewoong Suh; Min Woo Kang; Hyun A Kim; Won Young Roh; Jong Min Jang - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US9520534B2 ## CPC - H10H 20/816: having carrier transport control structures, e.g. highly-doped semiconductor layers or current-blocking structures - H10H 20/01: Manufacture or treatment - H10H 20/01335: {the light-emitting regions comprising nitride materials} - H10H 20/812: within the light-emitting regions, e.g. having quantum confinement structures - H10H 20/815: having stress relaxation structures, e.g. buffer layers - H10H 20/825: containing nitrogen, e.g. GaN - H10H 20/831: characterised by their shape - H10H 20/835: {Reflective materials} - H10H 20/857: Interconnections, e.g. lead-frames, bond wires or solder balls - H10H 20/032: {of electrodes} - H10H 20/84: Coatings, e.g. passivation layers or antireflective coatings - H10H: INORGANIC LIGHT-EMITTING SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES HAVING POTENTIAL BARRIERS ## Abstract Disclosed are a light emitting diode (LED), an LED module including the same, and a method of fabricating the same. The light emitting diode includes a first conductive-type semiconductor layer; a second conductive-type semiconductor layer; an active layer interposed between the first conductive-type semiconductor layer and the second conductive-type semiconductor layer; a first electrode pad region electrically connected to the first conductive-type semiconductor layer; a second electrode pad region electrically connected to the second conductive-type semiconductor layer; and a spark gap formed between a first leading end electrically connected to the first electrode pad region and a second leading end electrically connected to the second electrode pad region. The spark gap can achieve electrostatic discharge protection of the light emitting diode. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A light emitting diode (LED) module comprising: a printed circuit board; and a light emitting diode bonded to an upper side of the printed circuit board, the light emitting diode comprising: a first conductive-type semiconductor layer; a mesa placed on the first conductive-type semiconductor layer and including an active layer and a second conductive-type semiconductor layer; a reflective electrode structure disposed on the mesa; a current spreading layer covering the mesa and the first conductive-type semiconductor layer, and having an opening exposing the reflective electrode structure, the current spreading layer being electrically connected to the first conductive-type semiconductor layer while being insulated from the reflective electrode structure and the mesa; and an upper insulation layer covering the current spreading layer, the upper insulation layer having a first opening exposing the current spreading layer to define a first electrode pad region, and a second opening exposing an exposed upper region of the reflective electrode structure to define a second electrode pad region, wherein the first electrode pad region and the second electrode pad region are bonded to corresponding pads on the printed circuit boards via solder pastes, respectively. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The LED module of claim 1, wherein the light emitting diode further comprises an anti-Sn diffusion plating layer formed on the first electrode pad region and the second electrode pad region. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The LED module of claim 1, wherein the light emitting diode further comprises an anti-diffusion reinforcing layer disposed on the reflective electrode structure in the opening of the current spreading layer, the anti-diffusion reinforcing layer being exposed through the second opening of the upper insulation layer. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The LED module of claim 3, wherein the anti-diffusion reinforcing layer is formed of the same material as that of the current spreading layer. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The LED module of claim 4, wherein the current spreading layer comprises an ohmic contact layer, a reflective metal layer, an anti-diffusion layer, and an anti-oxidation layer. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The LED module of claim 5, wherein the anti-diffusion layer comprises at least one metal layer selected from the group consisting of Cr, Ti, Ni, Mo, TiW and W layers, and the anti-oxidation layer comprises an Au, Ag or organic material layer. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The LED module of claim 6, wherein the anti-diffusion layer comprises at least two pairs of Ti/Ni or Ti/Cr layers. ### Claim 8 (depends on 5) The LED module of claim 5, wherein the current spreading layer further comprises a bonding layer disposed on the anti-oxidation layer. ### Claim 9 (depends on 4) The LED module of claim 4, wherein the solder paste adjoins the current spreading layer and the anti-diffusion reinforcing layer. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The LED module of claim 1, wherein the reflective electrode structure comprises: a reflective metal section; a capping metal section; and an anti-oxidation metal section, the reflective metal section having a slanted side surface such that an upper surface of the reflective metal section has a narrower area than a lower surface thereof, and wherein a stress relief layer is formed at an interface between the reflective metal section and the capping metal section. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The LED module of claim 1, wherein the mesa comprises elongated branches extending parallel to each other in one direction and a connecting portion at which the branches are connected to each other, and the opening of the current spreading layer is disposed on the connecting portion. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The LED module of claim 1, wherein the light emitting diode further comprises a lower insulation layer disposed between the mesa and the current spreading layer and insulating the current spreading layer from the mesa, the lower insulation layer having an opening that is disposed in an upper region of the mesa and exposes the reflective electrode structure. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The LED module of claim 12, wherein the opening of the current spreading layer has a greater width than the opening of the lower insulation layer such that the opening of the lower insulation layer is completely exposed therethrough. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The LED module of claim 13, wherein the light emitting diode further comprises an anti-diffusion reinforcing layer disposed within the opening of the current spreading layer and the opening of the lower insulation layer, the anti-diffusion reinforcing layer being exposed through the second opening of the upper insulation layer. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The LED module of claim 14, wherein the lower insulation layer comprises a silicon oxide layer and the upper insulation layer comprises a silicon nitride layer. ### Claim 16 (depends on 1) The LED module of claim 1, wherein the solder paste comprises Sn—Ag alloys, Sn—Bi alloys, Sn—Zn alloys, or Sn—Ag—Cu alloys. ### Claim 17 A light emitting diode comprising: a first conductive-type semiconductor layer; a mesa disposed on the first conductive-type semiconductor layer and comprising an active layer and a second conductive-type semiconductor layer; a reflective electrode structure disposed on the mesa; a current spreading layer covering the mesa and the first conductive-type semiconductor layer, and having an opening exposing the reflective electrode structure, the current spreading layer being electrically connected to the first conductive-type semiconductor layer while being insulated from the reflective electrode structure and the mesa; and an upper insulation layer covering the current spreading layer, the upper insulation layer having a first opening exposing the current spreading layer to define a first electrode pad region, and a second opening exposing an exposed upper region of the reflective electrode structure to define the second electrode pad region. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The light emitting diode of claim 17, further comprising: an anti-diffusion reinforcing layer disposed on the reflective electrode structure in the opening of the current spreading layer, wherein the anti-diffusion reinforcing layer is exposed through the second opening of the upper insulation layer, and is formed of the same material as that of the current spreading layer. ### Claim 19 (depends on 18) The light emitting diode of claim 18, further comprising: anti-solder diffusion layers formed in the first opening and the second opening. ### Claim 20 (depends on 18) The light emitting diode of claim 18, wherein the current spreading layer comprises an ohmic contact layer, a reflective metal layer, an anti-diffusion layer, and an anti-oxidation layer.